43
Name of Caste Number of Families Number of Persons
Mixed groupl 3 7
ParsisS 3 19
Mahomedans3 IS 114
Christians^ 1 5
Total Ujaliparaj 167 870
Grand total for the village 46? 2560
It is evident that the Kaliparaj constitute two-thirds of
the population, whereas the Ujaliparaj account for the re-
maining one-third. Whereas the characteristics of the
U jaliparaj are easy to trace because of their greater intelli-
gence and better organization, those of the Kaliparaj are
difficult of understanding when they form only a minority
in a village. The fact that the percentage of the Kali-
paraj is large in this village has thus enabled us to under-
stand them better; there has been at the same time no
disadvantage in studying the characteristics of the Ujali-
paraj in spite of their small numbers because of reasons
already given.
Secondly, the characteristic of self-sufficiency of a vil-
lage community, may be seen from the presence of differ-
ent classes of artisans and personal servants intended to
administer to the needs of the farmers.
Historical evolution of Atgam as a village community :
A brief study of the history of the population of the vil-
lage will enable us to understand its present composition
better. Unfortunately, no old records are available to
serve us as guides for constructing a systematic history of
this village community. We had, therefore, inevitably
to fall back upon the memory of the old people of the
village for information. The history of this village, how-
ever faint, may be thus briefly told :
1 This group consists of family heads—who are products of mixed castes.
2 These communities are classed as Ujaliparaj in the Baroda Gazetteer;
in view of the smallness of their number we do not propose to class them
differently. The word 'Ujalivaran* is used when only high-class Hindus
are distinguished trom Kaliparaj.
6*